Christmas Wrapping
by Cookies94
Summary: Katie reflects on a wasted year and how things could have gone differently


**There definitely needs to be more Katie/Freddie is the fandom…and thus this, albeit a song fic, it's better than nothing and I felt it had to be done when I was listening to this song whilst setting up my tree. (All set up now only missing a few ornaments ^.^)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own SoR or Christmas Wrapping.

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Katie sat down sighing after another long day. It was years after the band had decided to go their separate ways, and Katie had preoccupied her left over time with work. She still saw most of the people from "School of Rock" they exchanged Christmas cards, went to parties, but they were not as close as they had been.

Looking up as she pulled one of her heavy boots off her feet Katie saw that it was nearing December, marking the Christmas season, something she was way too tired and overworked to do.

"_Bah, humbug!" No, that's too strong  
'Cause it is my favorite holiday  
But all this year's been a busy blur  
Don't think I have the energy _

It was a heavy sigh that escaped her mouth as she tried to work out where her year had gone it felt like only days ago that she had made her New Years Resolution. She was terribly fond of Christmas, all the good will towards men and good feelings, but se just couldn't bring herself to get out the decorations, pick out a tree, she should have taken Summer's suggestion and just bought a fake one.

_To add to my already mad rush  
Just 'cause it's 'tis the season.  
The perfect gift for me would be  
Completions and connections left from _

_Last year, ski shop,  
Encounter, most interesting.  
Had his number but never the time  
Most of '81 passed along those lines. _

A few days later Katie found herself running around helter-skelter attempting to find Christmas presents for all her friends, because, although she wanted to skip out on it, she couldn't bring herself not to give her friends something, she did not want to see those disappointed faces, and the questions of what was wrong.

When her friends asked what she wanted, which they always did, Katie couldn't bring herself to give the true answer. Although keeping relatively close with most of the band, managing to diligently give even the ones she was no longer fond of Christmas cards, Katie had somehow lost contact with her old best friend, and secret crush, Freddie Jones.

It had managed to work to her luck that last year amidst the same blunderings for last minute presents and gifts, Katie had run into the estranged drummer, and they'd particularly hit it off. They'd swapped numbers to keep in touch, but once again busy Katie had let the opportunity slip by like she often did, losing his number and forgetting completely through all the hubbub of the rest of her life.

_So deck those halls, trim those trees  
Raise up cups of Christmas cheer,  
I just need to catch my breath,  
Christmas by myself this year. _

_Calendar picture, frozen landscape,  
Chilled this room for twenty-four days,  
Evergreens, sparkling snow  
Get this winter over with! _

It was December 21st by the time she had managed to get all her not wanted decorations and cards and presents together. She had mailed them out and gotten hers, and was able to relax for a few minutes, leading her to stare at her calendar once again, looking at the picture and allowing her mind to wander.

_Flashback to springtime, saw him again,  
Would've been good to go for lunch,  
Couldn't agree when we were both free,  
We tried, we said we'd keep in touch. _

_Didn't, of course, 'til summertime,  
Out to the beach to his boat could I join him?  
No, this time it was me,  
Sunburn in the third degree. _

She thought back to the other times she had encountered Freddie throughout the year, fate had kept plopping him in her lap and she kept ignoring it. Like the time he had actually called her, mid spring asking her out to lunch, and she, in the middle of a big project, had to sorrowfully decline.

Then there was summer, they'd both ended up having the same vacation time as well as vacationing in the same spot, and once again he had offered a tempting invitation, but she, who had left her suns screen at home, and never thought to buy some, had managed to burn nearly all over her body and she couldn't face him with embarrassing tan lines and lobster red skin.

_Now the calendar's just one page  
And, of course, I am excited  
Tonight's the night, but I've set my mind  
Not to do too much about it. _

_Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!  
But I think I'll miss this one this year.  
Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!  
But I think I'll miss this one this year.  
Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!  
But I think I'll miss this one this year.  
Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!  
But I think I'll miss this one this year._

Katie reflected back on wasted time for the rest of her week until it was the night. The Christmas spirit had started to set in slowly, with the beautiful town square Christmas tree up and carolers, but she was really just looking forward to it being over. All the extra time she had with work off was making her realize how wasted her life was and putting a serous damper on her mood.

_Hardly dashing through the snow  
Cause I bundled up too tight  
Last minute have-to-do's  
A few cards a few calls  
'Cause it's r-s-v-p  
No thanks, no party lights  
It's Christmas Eve, gonna relax  
Turned down all of my invites._

As she came hustling back through the door Katie realized that she still had yet to inform Marta that she would not be going to her house for Christmas dinner, and although most likely obvious now, Katie didn't like to leave unfinished business and quickly grabbed her phone and dialed as she came into her house, sitting in the same chair and pulling off her heavy boots.

_Last fall I had a night to myself,  
Same guy called, Halloween party,  
Waited all night for him to show,  
This time his car wouldn't go, _

_Forget it, it's cold, it's getting late,  
Trudge on home to celebrate  
In a quiet way, unwind  
Doing Christmas right this time. _

_A&P has provided me  
With the world's smallest turkey  
Already in the oven, nice and hot  
Oh damn! Guess what I forgot? _

After phoning into Marta with the news, which resulted in an "I figured" from her, Katie was left with idle time to reflect back on the wasted year as she had been recently. This time her mind took her back to the time where Freddie had called once again, asking her to a Halloween party, with no work thing to do, Katie had eagerly said yes, and as luck would have it, Freddie on his way to pick her up, had his car die on him. Katie spent the entire night waiting, until Freddie, at two in the morning had managed to find a pay phone and money, he didn't like cell phones, and call to tell her of his misfortune.

It was funny to her, how each time something came up either she or Freddie got in the way, maybe that whole "If it's meant to be, it'll be" thing was true, and it wasn't meant to be…

As Katie got up, to check on the smallest turkey ever, the only thing left in the store, in an attempt to distract herself from the non-existence and pity fullness of her love life, she realized that she had managed to forget to buy her cranberries, a classic Katie move.

_So on with the boots, back out in the snow  
To the only all-night grocery,  
When what to my wondering eyes should appear  
In the line is that guy I've been chasing all year! _

_"I'm spending this one alone," he said.  
"Need a break; this year's been crazy."  
I said, "Me too, but why are you?  
You mean you forgot cranberries too?" _

_Then suddenly we laughed and laughed  
Caught on to what was happening  
That Christmas magic's brought this tale  
To a very happy ending! _

She pulled on her boots and headed out to the twenty-four hour convenience store and as she came in, making a bee-line for the cranberries, she ran straight into Freddie.

"Freddie Jones!" She proclaimed looking up at the boy who had recently been plaguing her mind.

"Hey Posh Spice," He said using her old nickname from grade school, "Haven't seen you all year. Have you been avoiding me?"

He said it in a joking manor but Katie couldn't help but fell a little guilty, because maybe she had been avoiding him, a little. Afraid of what might happen, she'd never been one to take chances.

"Nah, just been busy, work and then the holidays, takes a lot out of a person."

"Me too." He replied as they headed towards check out, "So you spending Christmas alone this year too?"

"The great Freddie Jones is spending Christmas alone?!" Katie asked pretending to be astonished.

"Well if one Katie Brown hadn't been avoiding me all year maybe I wouldn't be."

"Don't blame me for your misfortune." Katie remarked, before pausing. "Wait a second, why are you here anyways?"

"Cranberries." Came the simple reply, accompanied by the lifting of said cranberries.

Katie burst out laughing at this revelation and Freddie stood puzzled, he had never thought cranberries were all that funny.

"What? What is so funny about cranberries?" He demanded mock glaring at her.

"It's just I needed cranberries too!" Katie said between laughs holding up her own jar, "You know what they say, Birds of a feather…"

Freddie joined in, in her laughter and as they bought their cranberries the clerk working was perplexed by the laughter.

_Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!  
Couldn't miss this one this year!  
Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!  
Couldn't miss this one this year! _

"So you know," Katie said biting her lip, "If you don't want to be alone, you can come over to my house, my turkey is kind of small but we'll have plenty of cranberries."

"I'd like that Posh, I'd really like that." Freddie said draping his arm over her shoulder as they headed out, and Katie couldn't help but think that she definitely did not this Christmas to end.  


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**Review?**


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